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UNITED STATES PATENT GFFICE.

E. T. GREEN, OF STONEHAM, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO HIMSELE AND J. R. FOLSOM, OF SAME PLACE.

MACHINE FOR CUTTING BOOT .AND SHOE HEELS.

Specivcaton forming part of Letters Patent No. 30,376, dated October 9', 1860; Reissued November To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, E. T. GREEN, of Stoneham, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful improvements in such machines as form or shape the heels of boots or shoes by cutting or trimming them when they are made fast thereto; and I do hereby declare that the following is a clear, full, and exact description of my said invention, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specificat-ion.

I am aware that machines have been made which shape heels for boots and shoes before they are secured thereto. Hy invention does not relate to such machines but to those, which shape the heels which are first secured to the sole, generally by being built up thereon lift by lift. Neither does my invention relate to that class of machines which reduces the stock of which the heel is formed when fixed to the shoe to fine shavings, with a rotating cutter, but to those which make a continuous cut around the curved boundary of the heel.

In the drawings, which illustrate a machine embodying my invention, Figures l, 2 and 3 are respectively front and side elevations and a plan thereof. Fig. Je is a View in perspective, showing' the cutting knife and heel. In Fig. 2, the lines in red illust-rate how the cutting and shaping mechanism may be thrown back upon its hinges or pivots to facilitate changing the shoe or boot.

The holding mechanism is represented as that adapted for use with shoes, and consists of a pin, which enters a hole made in the last for that purpose, and a toe rest made adjustable in the manner and operating substantially as in other holders now public. This holding mechanism is fixed to the slide (a), guided in suitable ways on bed (A), and is capable of being adjusted forward or backward in the direction of the length of the last by means of the nut (c) fixed to the slide (a) and the screw (b) connected with the bed. The pin which enters the last differs from those before used in shoe holders, inasmuch as it has a projection (el) formed thereon which makes the heel rest for the last, and below the rest the pin is formed into a screw, working in the nut fixed to (a), by which the heel seat of the shoe is adjust-able to the proper height. The purpose of the longitudinal and vertical adjustability, obtained by the means described will be referred to hereafter.

The plate (B) is hingedat (f) to the supports rising from the bed, and can, wi-th all the parts fixed thereunto, be swungon its hinges so as to give unobstructed access to the holding mechanism.

The neck (C) as shown in the drawings carries the cylindrical slide (g) to which the former (It) is fixed, and upon which the lever (D) rotates which works the knife. The slide (g) is raised and lowered by 'operating a screw connected to and woiliigin a nut formed in the upper part The plate is secured to B at such height above it as to give room between E and B for both the former (h.) and the highest heel to be shaped in the machine. In (E) is cut a guide groove, in which the piece traverses which moves the knife carrier This piece is connected with the lever (D) by the link and is also connected to (m). One end of D, is formed to project beyond and below E, so that the spiral spring (u) can act against it to force the knife, by means of piece (o), against the formers of the heel. The knife carrier is prevented from vertical play by fitting loosely between and the slide (s) of which different sizes are made to fit interchangeably in B to conform nearly to the shape and size of the sole of the shoe to be operated upon.

To permit the knife to conform to various sizes of heels, or to heels having various sizes at the tread and seat, it is requisite to give the knife carrier freedom to adjust itself to the formers of the heel, which are the tread former (/L), and heel seat portion of the sole. This may be variously accomplished though I believe the mechanism hereby shown and described to be the best for the purpose. The piece is spherical where it fits in the suitably shaped groove in this permits free torsional movement of the knife though measurably controlling its movement. The lower end of (n), where it is joined to the knife carrier, is made eccentric with its upper part, so that turning (n) the part of the carrier in advance of the cutting edge of the knife is thrown toward or from (71.) as may be desired. The end of (o) is made pointed or rounded, and several depressions are made in (fm) at different heights suitable to receive this end, so that the pressure of the spring (u) will be exerted equally on both formers, or more upon one than upon the other, as may be desired.

The operation of the machine is as follows: The upper part being thrown back, the last with a shoe upon it is placed on the last pin, with the toe lying on the toe rest. The upper part of the machine is then closed down and secured in position, it being assumed that the slide is suitable to the size of the shoe to be operated upon, and that the former (7L), which is made to shift, is of the form and size desired for the heel tread. By operating the screw (Z2) the rear of the seat of the heel is located as much back of the rear of the former (7L) as is required for the shape desired, and then the shoe is adjusted vertically, by means of the last pin screw, till the joint between the upper and the sole just appears above slide (s) if the last has not before been cramped upon its pin by setting up the toe rest this may be done, and any derangement of the position of the shoe corrected by the means of adjustment. By means of the screw (i) the tread former is brought down upon the tread of the heel, which aids in holding the shoe 'Linder the action of the knife. The knife, which should be placed by the operative, before closing down the upper part of the machine with its edge front of and toward the flat surface of the heel, is, in the closing, drawnback by him so as not t0 strike the rough heel, and is now ready to perform its function of shaping, which is done with about half a revolution of the lever D.

In the manufacture of boots and shoes it is common to stamp out the sole, or otherwise to give it very nearly the form and size required in the finished article. I am thus enabled to make use of the sole itself for the lower or seat former upon which to guide the knife in its movement. To protect the sole, the knife carrier, or a part of the knife itself, bears upon it, both in front and at the rear of the cutting edge. When the upper of the shoe is not thrust above the slide it is perfectly protected from the action of the knife, which should be so adjusted as to cut the upper portion of the sole or the heel seat so. as to make fair work, and to avoid a crease between the heel and its seat. Harmony of the outline of the heel, and heel seat, can be best obtained by the use of the seat as a former by which to shape the heel, for if the seat is irregular the heel should be made so, or the defect becomes more palpable.

I am aware that it has been attempted to guide a heel cutting knife upon that part of the upper which is located above the heel,

or upon a clamp surrounding this part. But the curves of this part and of the heel are not necessarily similar, and the stiffening used in the heel part of the counter, and the seam therein varies in every shoe.

I claiml. The combination of a heel cutting mechanism, operating substantially as specified, with a mechanism for relatively adjust-ing, in the direction of the length of the shoe, the tread and seat formers, by which the rake or pitch of the rear of the heel may be varied without substitution of other formers.

2. So arranging, in heel shaping machines, which operate substantially as described, the forming and holding mechanisms that each is distinct in itself and removable one from the other substantially in the manner and for the purpose set forth.

3. The employment of the heel seat portion of the sole for a former of the heel, and guide for the knife, either with or without the use of the tread former.

E. T. GREEN.

`Witnesses J. B. CROSBY, Lnvi H. MARSH. 

